What Bio-West does

BIO-WEST, Inc. is a privately held, Logan, Utah-based environmental consulting firm established in 1976 that provides multidisciplinary natural resource management services across the western and southern United States. The company's nine service lines cover coastal ecology and marine biology, environmental analysis and permitting, fisheries and aquatic ecology, geology/hydrogeology/remediation, GIS planning and analysis, landscape architecture and environmental planning, watershed science, wetland resources, and wildlife and vegetation resources. Technical core capabilities include Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM) hydraulic modeling, radio and sonic fish telemetry, Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) and Habitat Quality Index (HQI) assessments, in-situ bioremediation (the first commercial application in Utah), and ArcGIS-based spatial analysis with Python scripting and Google Earth integration. Firmographic scale is 11-50 employees across offices in Logan UT, Round Rock TX, San Marcos TX, and Houston TX (a Coastal Division opened in 2006).

The firm's business model is a classic government-anchored professional services construct: projects are delivered on a fixed-fee or time-and-materials basis through multi-year contracts, with the firm serving as either prime contractor or subconsultant. Go-to-market is direct field sales to federal, state, and local government agencies, supplemented by GSA Schedule contracting that enables direct federal procurement. Customer concentration is heavily weighted toward public agencies — the Bureau of Reclamation, Federal Highway Administration, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Edwards Aquifer Authority, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and the National Park Service are all named clients, with limited private-industry exposure including Denbury Green Pipeline and Schreiber Foods. The firm cites more than 1,000 completed projects since founding and deep specialization in Colorado River basin aquatic species (razorback sucker, Virgin River chub, woundfin, Colorado pikeminnow) and endangered species recovery, including a flagship role in the 260-acre Provo River Delta Restoration that contributed to the June sucker's reclassification from endangered to threatened in February 2021.

Ownership is internal to a six-principal leadership group — Brandon Albrecht (President), Andrea Moser (VP), Edmund Oborny (VP and Chairman), Darren Olsen (VP), Bradley Littrell, and Robert Thomas — with no evidence of institutional investment, private equity backing, or parent-company ownership. The firm appears to be an independently operated, principal-led boutique competing on regulatory expertise and western U.S. domain specialization rather than scale.

Name

Bio-West

Legal name

BIO-WEST, Inc.

Website

https://bio-west.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BIO-WEST is a privately held environmental consulting firm founded in 1976 and headquartered in Logan, Utah, providing multidisciplinary ecological, regulatory, and restoration services to federal, state, and local government agencies and select private clients across the western United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Logan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Environmental Consulting Services: BIO-WEST provides environmental consulting services on a project basis, serving government agencies (federal, state, local), transportation departments, energy companies, and private industry. Revenue is generated through contracts for environmental impact assessments, biological assessments, permitting, restoration planning, and other specialized environmental consulting services. Projects are billed as fixed-fee contracts or time-and-materials engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BIO-WEST is a multidisciplinary environmental consulting firm that delivers natural resource management and regulatory compliance services across nine service areas: coastal ecology/marine biology, environmental analysis and permitting, fisheries and aquatic ecology, geology/hydrogeology/remediation, GIS planning and analysis, landscape architecture, watershed science, wetland resources, and wildlife/vegetation resources. The firm conducts field studies, environmental impact assessments, habitat evaluations, hydrologic/aquatic studies, restoration design, NEPA documentation, and permitting support for government agencies and private clients throughout the western United States.

Product overview

BIO-WEST is an environmental consulting firm established in 1976, offering a comprehensive suite of ecological and environmental consulting services. The company provides nine core service areas: Coastal Ecology and Marine Biology Services, Environmental Analysis and Permitting Services, Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology Services, Geology/Hydrogeology/Remediation Services, GIS Planning and Analysis Services, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Services, Watershed Science Services, Wetland Resource Services, and Wildlife and Vegetation Resource Services. These services are tailored to federal agencies, state and local governments, transportation/infrastructure projects, energy development clients, and private industry. The firm operates from offices in Logan, Utah; Austin, Texas; and San Marcos, Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coastal Ecology and Marine Biology Services Coastal and marine ecological consulting services including wetland delineations, environmental permitting, waterfowl and fish studies, oyster surveys, and ecosystem assessments across both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Targeted at government agencies and private clients with projects in coastal regions.
• Environmental Analysis and Permitting Services Interdisciplinary environmental analysis including agency coordination, feasibility studies, impact analyses, NEPA documentation, and public involvement for complex environmental projects. Served to federal, state, and local government clients, transportation/infrastructure sponsors, energy developers, and private industry.
• Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology Services Aquatic species expertise including instream flow studies, habitat evaluations using IFIM, HEP and HQI methodologies, endangered fish studies, fish sampling, radio and sonic telemetry, and recovery activities for species in the Colorado River basin and other western U.S. waters. Delivered to water resource agencies and conservation programs.
• Geology, Hydrogeology, and Remediation Services Environmental remediation, site investigation, contamination remediation, hazardous waste management, and real estate assessment services including Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments. Includes in-situ bioremediation (first commercial use in Utah) for cleaning up contaminated sites.
• GIS Planning and Analysis Services Geographic Information System capabilities including land use planning, biological inventories, habitat mapping, terrain and 3D modeling, web-based mapping products with Google Earth integration, geodatabases, and custom GIS tools using ArcGIS and Python scripting. Provided to government and private clients requiring spatial analysis.
• Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Services Community planning, landscape architecture, and resource management planning including park design, trails planning, open space planning, and environmental impact assessments. Recognized via multiple ASLA Utah Chapter awards.
• Watershed Science Services Stream channel, floodplain, and riparian-wetland restoration using a holistic watershed approach. Includes conceptual restoration plan design, hydrogeomorphic analysis, water quality assessment, and instream flow studies. Delivered to state, federal, and local water resource clients in the western United States.
• Wetland Resource Services Wetland investigations, delineations, functional assessments, mitigation design and monitoring, and regulatory compliance including Section 404 permitting coordination. Provided to developers, agencies, and transportation/infrastructure projects needing Clean Water Act compliance.
• Wildlife and Vegetation Resource Services Wildlife and vegetation surveys including baseline inventories, biological assessments, habitat evaluations, threatened and endangered species surveys, and mitigation planning. Served to government agencies, transportation projects, energy developers, and private industry for ESA and NEPA support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully documented razorback sucker using the Colorado River Inflow area of Lake Mead during multi-year studies, contributing to endangered species recovery
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (JSRIP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2015Multi-agency effort to coordinate and implement recovery activities for the June sucker. BIO-WEST has nearly 30 years of experience researching the June sucker and working on the Provo River Delta Restoration Project. The program includes the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, and Central Utah Project Completion Act Office of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
• U.S. Bureau of ReclamationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly funded Lake Mead razorback sucker studies with the Bureau of Reclamation. The study is being conducted cooperatively with multiple state and federal agencies to identify factors allowing razorback sucker recruitment in Lake Mead.
• Southern Nevada Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded Lake Mead razorback sucker studies and Nevada Springs Ecological Evaluation project. Jointly working on water resource development and aquatic ecosystem preservation in Nevada.
• Nevada Department of WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner on Lake Mead studies and Nevada Springs Ecological Evaluation for conservation of threatened and endangered aquatic species in Nevada aquatic systems.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperating agency on Lake Mead studies and Provo River Delta Restoration Project. Collaborates on conservation of national park resources and endangered species recovery.
• Arizona Game and Fish DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperating partner on Lake Mead razorback sucker studies and Colorado River conservation efforts spanning Nevada and Arizona.
• Central Utah Water Conservancy DistrictflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint lead agency on the Provo River Delta Restoration Project, working together with BIO-WEST on large-scale ecosystem restoration to recover the endangered June sucker.
• Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation CommissionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint lead agency on the Provo River Delta Restoration Project and ongoing collaborator on Provo River restoration and monitoring projects since the 1990s.
• U.S. Department of the Interior (Central Utah Project Completion Act Office)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on the Provo River Delta Restoration Project through the Central Utah Project Completion Act Office, working to balance water development with ecosystem restoration.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on Section 7 consultations, endangered species recovery, and environmental compliance. Partner on Lower Virgin River Recovery and Implementation Team.
• Lower Virgin River Recovery and Implementation TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiverse group of agencies collectively working toward recovery and preservation of endangered and native Virgin River fish species. BIO-WEST conducts various endangered species studies and provides guidance on Virgin and Colorado River systems.
• Edwards Aquifer AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked on the most comprehensive biological evaluation ever conducted on Comal and San Marcos Springs near Austin, Texas. The 7-year Variable Flow Study monitored and researched eight threatened and endangered species in these ecosystems.
• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on mining permitting, forest management plans, and environmental evaluations for projects affecting national forest lands including Logan Canyon highway improvements.
• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on energy development environmental evaluations and Virgin River Recovery Implementation Team. Collaborates on management of public lands and natural resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global design and consulting firm with a strong environmental services practice covering NEPA, water resources, and ecological restoration; competes with BIO-WEST for federal and state environmental contracts at larger scale.
• ICF International: Public consultancy providing environmental impact assessments, climate, and energy advisory services to federal agencies such as EPA, DOE, and FWS, competing with BIO-WEST for the same NEPA and environmental review contracts.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure and environmental consulting firm delivering environmental planning, permitting, and ecological restoration for federal, state, and private clients; competes with BIO-WEST on transportation (FHWA/DOT) and energy projects.
• Tetra Tech: Global environmental, water, and infrastructure consulting firm offering NEPA compliance, fisheries, watershed, and restoration services that directly overlap BIO-WEST's core offerings, but at vastly greater scale across federal, state, and international clients.
• Jacobs Solutions: Major professional services firm with environmental, water, and transportation consulting that directly overlaps BIO-WEST's offerings to FHWA, EPA, and state DOTs across the U.S.

Regional players

• RESPEC: Engineering and environmental consulting firm with strong western U.S. presence providing water resources, geosciences, and environmental services to government and industry clients comparable to BIO-WEST's market.

Direct peers

• ESA (Environmental Science Associates): Employee-owned environmental consulting firm providing biological resources, permitting, restoration, and planning services to public agencies—comparable service mix and similar client profile to BIO-WEST.
• SWCA Environmental Consultants: Mid-sized environmental consulting firm focused on the western U.S. offering NEPA, biological resources, cultural resources, and GIS services to federal and state agencies—an extremely close peer in size, geography, and service mix to BIO-WEST.
• WEST, Inc. Wildlife and environmental science consulting firm specializing in fisheries, wildlife biology, and endangered species work across the western U.S., directly comparable to BIO-WEST's fisheries and aquatic ecology practice.
• BioResource Consultants: Small environmental consulting firm providing biological assessments, wetland delineations, and permitting services to public and private clients in the western U.S., directly comparable in size and scope to BIO-WEST.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bio-west-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bio-West